Cape York

Cape York

“It’s a Top Ride”

Cape York is truly one of Australia’s last frontiers and we’re extremely fortunate so much of it is accessible by motorcycle. Our exclusive private property access lets you ride the tracks that the others won’t take you to.

This Cape York ‘Bucket List’ ride kicks off with Black Mountain Road then the CREB track finishing off on the Bloomfield track and an ice cold beer at the Lions Den Hotel. And that’s just Day 1… The following day we hit the rarely used and nearly forgotten Starke Track. This is one of Cape York’s more overgrown trails and is one of the highlights of the Cape. You’ll ride it all the way to the end. You’ll tackle Frenchmans Track. It means carrying our bikes across the Pascoe River. But it’s worth it to ride this unbelievable track. The number 1 ticket item for most is the Old Telegraph Track. It starts at Bramwell Junction, we blast across a heap of creek and river crossings, (avoiding crocs). Some of the tight, twisty sandy sections are a blast. After Gunshot and Cockatoo crossings we get to our Overnight stop at Elliott Falls. it’s time for a swim at one of Cape York’s most scenic waterfalls. Then we do it all over again the next day, with even better creek crossings and gnarlier sections of trail. We camp on some cattle stations and most nights have a beer around the campfire. Your 7 day ride is full-on, from Day 1 all the way to your flight back on the last day. You’ll be carving trails all the way. There’s a shower and cold beer at every nights stop and a massive cooked breakfast every single morning. Your camp setup and meals are first class. This is an action packed trip with something new around every corner. An absolutely unforgettable ride.

Day 1. Cairns to Lions Den Hotel – 227km

We pick you up from your hotel at 8am and after stowing all your gear in the support vehicle its time to get acquainted with your bike. After a rider and safety briefing we point our bikes north for this incredible Cape York Adventure and head out of Cairns on the Bruce Highway. Fifteen minutes later we turn left and head for Kuranda. The first half hour is spent on steep and twisty black top so you get a chance to get familiar with your bike.

From Kuranda we hit the dirt on Black Mountain Road and the fun begins. After an hour of weaving our way through tropical jungle, tight singe trail and open savannah we head back down the mountain and have lunch by the Mossman River.

After lunch it’s a quick lazy ride along the coast to Daintree where we cross the Daintree River and hit the CREB Track for an unforgettable ride to Wujal Wujal. Here we join the Bloomfield Track for the final blast to one of Cape York’s best pubs, the Lions Den Hotel, our overnight accommodation for Day 1. Ice cold beers and hot showers are very welcomed by everyone.

Day 2. Lions Den Hotel to Kalpowar Crossing – 297km

Today is one of our biggest days on the trip. After our usual big cooked breakfast we head off quite early for a refuel in Cooktown then continue to our morning tea stop at Isabella Falls. The truck leaves us after morning tea and we head north to the infamous Starke Track. This track is rarely used and quite a challenge for the first few hours with heaps of creek crossings, sandy sections, bulldust and some high speed sweeping sections.

The track widens as we get to the Cape Melville turn-off and we have a well-earned easy final hour ride to Kalpowar Crossing, where we cross one of Cape York’s many croc-infested rivers, the Normanby, and once again meet up with our support truck at our camp on the western bank of the river. Our support truck driver will have the fire going and the roast cooking while you can have a bash at catching a Barra. With the esky never far away it makes for a magic night on the Cape.

Day 3. Kalpowar Crossing to Archer River – 310km

After 2 big days of snotty trails and some challenging creek crossings, day 3 is a bit more relaxing. It’s our biggest day distance wise but the going is good all day. We throw in a couple of gnarly bits on the way. We cross the Hann River the Morehead River and the Bifold Plains before leaving the Lakefield National Park and arriving at Musgrave Telegraph Station. We refuel here then head north once again. We are now travelling on the Southern section of the Peninsular Development Road, an hour or so later we get to Coen and a welcome stop at the Sexchange Hotel.

After lunch we have an good ride to our overnight stop at Archer River. There’s a great spot to swim a good fishing hole and the pub has cold beer. Hot showers and a hot dinner finish off a great days riding.

Day 4. Archer River to Bramwell Station – 222km

By the end of the day you’ll be glad that day 3 was easy as today we head east towards Lockhart River then tackle Frenchman’s Track. The first part of the day is great riding on fast flowing roads and we cross the Wenlock and Pascoe Rivers before we get to Frenchman’s Track where we head west and the track narrows to 2 small wheel tracks.

This track has it all sand, rocks, mud, river crossings, hill climbs and fast sections. We usually have to carry the bikes across a couple of the rivers. Mid afternoon and the track spits us out on the main road. We then cross the Wenlock River again, over a bridge this time where we once again head north to our overnight stop at Bramwell Station.

Day 5. Bramwell Station to Loyalty Beach – 225km

If you thought the last 4 days were unbelievable then hang on to your handlebars for today we hit the Cape York Overland Telegraph Track. Leaving Bramwell early we head back onto the Development road for a 5-minute squirt to Bramwell Junction where we top up our tanks then hit the track.

After a quick blast through some small creeks and winding trail we get to Palm Creek. A steep decent and mud greet us then an easy creek crossing and a steep rutted assent on the northern bank. Palm Creek sets the pace for the rest of the day. The southern section of the track has countless creek crossings and some fast flowing trails. There is always more than a few laughs on this section. We get to the infamous Gunshot Creek mid morning for morning tea a little further up the track.

After a well-earned break we tackle the rest of the creek crossings and blast north on some sandy tracks to our lunch stop and swim at Fruitbat Falls. The afternoon riding is awesome with creeks, mud, sand and rocks mixed in with a few easy hill climbs and some very fast, flowing tracks.

We cross the Jardine River on the ferry then check out some WW2 wrecks on the way to a well earned beer at the most northern pub in Australia. Then is a quick ride to our overnight accommodation at Loyalty Beach. Camped right by the beach there’s a good chance of seeing a croc and some great fishing.

Day 6. Loyalty Beach to the Top of Australia – 140km

Today we ride to the Tip. An easy dirt ride through tropical jungle rainforest and open Savannah with a few creek crossings thrown in. The last 200m we walk over a rocky outcrop to the tip. Six days of dirt riding through some of Australia’s best trails gets up to the most northern point in Australia.

It’s not over yet, on the way back to Loyalty Beach we check out Somerset and a great ride along the beach. Then we check out some of the little used tracks that the top has to offer.

Day 7. Loyalty Beach to Cairns

You board the ferry for trip over to Thursday Island. We troll a lure on the way, arrive Thursday Is, lunch at the Torres Pub, tour of TI, then transfer to Horn Island wharf to meet the bus to connect with your Qantas flight back to Cairns.